HCS SCS SB 945 and SB 803 and SB 1257 -- SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN
SPONSOR: Gibbons (Moore)
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Education by a vote of 22 to 0.
This substitute requires the State Board of Education to
encourage school districts to adopt service-learning programs to
foster academic achievement, civic engagement, and character
development. The state board will, upon request, provide
technical assistance and help in locating financial resources for
teachers developing service-learning programs and projects.
These projects may be counted for credit in courses for high
school graduation and may be used at any grade level to address
state educational standards, where appropriate.
The substitute also prohibits students who have been expelled for
safe school violations from being counted as dropouts for
accreditation purposes. The juvenile court will have concurrent
jurisdiction with municipal courts on curfew violations by
children. The Division of Family Services is permitted to
interview possible victims of child abuse at the school or child
care center if the alleged abuse did not occur on that property.
This provision contains an emergency clause.
FISCAL NOTE: No impact on state funds in FY 2005, FY 2006, and
FY 2007.
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that service learning contributes to
academic achievement and character. School districts should not
suffer adverse consequences for expelling students who threaten
school safety. The law on interviewing a possible child abuse
victim was revised last year with an unintentional consequence,
and it needs to be corrected to let children be interviewed
without unnecessary disruption to their lives.
Testifying for SB 945 were Senator Gibbons; Missouri National
Education Association; Schools Administrators Coalition; Missouri
State Teachers Association; Missouri School Boards Association;
and Missouri Service Learning Advisory Council. Testifying for
SB 803 were Senator Gross; Missouri National Education
Association; Schools Administrators Coalition; Missouri State
Teachers Association; Missouri School Boards Association;
Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City; Department
of Social Services; and Missouri Council for Children at Risk.
Testifying for SB 1257 were Senator Days; Missouri National
Education Association; Schools Administrators Coalition; Missouri
State Teachers Association; Missouri School Boards Association;
Normandy School District; and Cooperating School Districts of
Greater Kansas City.
OPPONENTS: There was no opposition voiced to the committee.
Becky DeNeve, Senior Legislative Analyst